I just did this and, well, umm
Illinois 94, UT Rio Grande Valley 85 Postgame
FWIW compared to last year (November 2020) our defenses seem pretty close to me. Miller was not yet a top notch defender and the 4 guard line up (before Grandison emerged) was pretty soft on the inside D.
Thank you. Now they can pay my salary.
Everything and nothing at the same time….I just did this and, well, umm
I didn’t see the game, but listened to it in its entirety. Only comments I have are:
1. For those who keep questioning DMW’s value to Illini basketball, please learn there is more to basketball than just scoring. He steps into a role he hasn’t played much if at all, and in 30 minutes he has 8 assists, 6 rebounds, 1 steal and 0 turnovers. Oh yeah, he also scored 4 points including a key put back late in game. Sure we’d all like for him to average 10 or more points a game, but he doesn’t. And those that call for getting him out of the lineup because he doesn’t just don’t have a clue.
2. I’ve never been on the Hutch hype train, preferring a show me first approach, but people need to cut him some slack. Here’s a kid who was playing his third game after missing two years — one of them because of injury — and like DMW he was thrust into a role he hasn’t really played. Unfortunately he didn’t do as well as Williams in this game. I thought he played pretty well against KSU, and feel like he’ll be an important part of several games this year.
1. For those who keep questioning DMW’s value to Illini basketball, please learn there is more to basketball than just scoring. He steps into a role he hasn’t played much if at all, and in 30 minutes he has 8 assists, 6 rebounds, 1 steal and 0 turnovers. Oh yeah, he also scored 4 points including a key put back late in game. Sure we’d all like for him to average 10 or more points a game, but he doesn’t. And those that call for getting him out of the lineup because he doesn’t just don’t have a clue.
2. I’ve never been on the Hutch hype train, preferring a show me first approach, but people need to cut him some slack. Here’s a kid who was playing his third game after missing two years — one of them because of injury — and like DMW he was thrust into a role he hasn’t really played. Unfortunately he didn’t do as well as Williams in this game. I thought he played pretty well against KSU, and feel like he’ll be an important part of several games this year.
I agree with #1 and I don’t care how much he scores but just that he’s a threat. He doesn’t look as confident shooting it as last year though. I don’t expect him to lead the country in 3 pt % again but the fact he seems hesitant is a little concerning.
I agree about Hutch. He looks a little like a freshman to me which is understandable since he hasn’t played in 2 years but also a little concerning because you would think his understanding of the system would be better. I feel like him being away from the team at home last year hurt him because his body seems a little frail/thin as well.
If Miller's mommy knew how many chances he would have to play point guard this year, I wonder if he would still be playing in Champaign?
A fair amount of posts during/after this game (as well as the losses) have called this team overrated as if that is an insult to the team. But serious question, is it the team’s fault that fans underestimated the impact Ayo’s (as well as Adam and Giorgi’s) departure would have on the team or that fans groused that the Illini were only ranked #11 in preseason poll? Sure BU said good things about Hawk and Hutch during summer, but those probably paled in comparison to the hype trains that left the Loyalty station. Is it the team’s fault that I saw multiple posts on here after Kofi said he was returning that team could well be 11-0 heading into Missouri game?
I too am a bit surprised at the team’s performance thus far, but then again I was surprised that people felt this year’s team might well be better than last year’s team. I guess I’m just wondering if it is fair to call a team overrated when it doesn’t live up to your hype after they lost two starters — one an All-American and NBA draft pick — and a key substitute. This team definitely needs to improve and play with more energy and intensity if it wants to have near the success that it had last season. But there have been injuries and a suspension that have played roles too. Give the team a chance to come together.
I too am a bit surprised at the team’s performance thus far, but then again I was surprised that people felt this year’s team might well be better than last year’s team. I guess I’m just wondering if it is fair to call a team overrated when it doesn’t live up to your hype after they lost two starters — one an All-American and NBA draft pick — and a key substitute. This team definitely needs to improve and play with more energy and intensity if it wants to have near the success that it had last season. But there have been injuries and a suspension that have played roles too. Give the team a chance to come together.
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Nice!!!
skyIdub
Winged Warrior
You literally type the two team names into Google...and click enter. It takes less than half the time it took you to make this "plea".
Uh, Marcus Arnold
edit: oops Bret beat me to it
Calillini
Now appearing in Tampa
You could make the same argument for any link posted here. When you hit 72 yrs old, text me
Go to Illinois Athletics - Basketball- Stats
Calillini
Now appearing in Tampa
In the 70s a high school kid would sneak into the PLATO lab at night, write some code and thousands of students would benefit the next morning.
That is the miracle of software, write a few lines of code and automate a process forever for thousands of users.
One click of a mouse saves a minute of typing for thousands, saving thousand of hours over time.
skyIdub
Winged Warrior
Ok. I'm not sure what you are getting at now. You've made three posts now about wanting someone else to do something for you to "save time".
Do you not see the obvious disconnect here? I showed you how to "save time" in my reply.
Also when I'm 72 we won't be texting anymore, I'll be able to telepathically tell you that you can "save time" by using your Google implant that will display the box score in your VR helmet or glasses.
Tacomallini
- Washington State
With all this fighting and feuding going on, did Cal ever get the box score?
www.espn.com
Illinois 94-85 UT Rio Grande Valley (Nov 26, 2021) Box Score - ESPN
Box score for the Illinois Fighting Illini vs. UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros NCAAM game from November 26, 2021 on ESPN. Includes all points, rebounds and steals stats.
NEIlliniFan
- No longer in New England
Not at all.
Your hypothetical is just that, hypothetical. Everyone gets to fill in their point of view and get their desired answer. From a productivity point of view, it has a very limited benefit.
Antigua's not here. Neither is Gentry. Theorizing about their impact on the current team doesn't move the needle at all. If you think it's a fun exercise, so be it.
I get what you're saying, and agree in part. The idea that this team would lose Ayo and get better struck me as crazy, but it became an article of faith on here. I felt like a pessimist merely thinking this was a top-10 team (ah, if only!), and quietly thinking the media rankings seemed about right, which would be blasphemous on this site.
But I think the team also kind of fed the hype train. All the Hutch hype was being fed by practice reports. And I think Curbelo himself at one point said this year's team was going to be better than last year's team. I don't think it's fair to pin this entirely this on fans having unreasonable expectations (though again, I agree a lot of those expectations were unreasonable) when the team is also failing to live up to the expectations of the media or the team itself as well.
I think theorizing about Antigua is relevant. We have had some really profound C/PF improvements since Underwood arrived; starting with Leron Black, then Giorgi and Kofi. We aren’t seeing that from Omar Payne. Is that isolated or is it Antigua leaving? Geoff Alexander also seems to work with big men, so will the development of these types of players continue?
skyIdub
Winged Warrior
With all this fighting and feuding going on, did Cal ever get the box score?
Illinois 94-85 UT Rio Grande Valley (Nov 26, 2021) Box Score - ESPN
Box score for the Illinois Fighting Illini vs. UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros NCAAM game from November 26, 2021 on ESPN. Includes all points, rebounds and steals stats.
I've been to a game now and can tell you that the underclassmen and newcomers do not play defense anywhere near our first 7 did last year. We are continually beat of the dribble. I think we are quick enough. We need to work on defense every practice and then have extra practices. Off subject, I keep hearing people bad mouth Damonte Williams because his lack of points scored and not nailing threes so far this year. Number 1....... He will find his stroke. Number 2........ He is perhaps our best rebounder. Number 3..... He is perhaps our best defender as he can guard every position at least adequately and ofter spectactularly. Number 4........ He always brings energy to the table. If we don't have him, we have two more losses. He wins ball games. I know he is a role player. But every team needs two or three of them to win a championship. Problem is a lot of our scorers are injured.